ARCHIVE: Sea Patrol Spider and Bomber OneShots
by Kate-Emma
Summary: Complete - Collection of all my Sea Patrol one-shots up until May 2008. From now on all my Sea Patrol Spider and Bomber one-shots will go here after a few months or after their appeal runs out...
1. DETAILS

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Sea Patrol

ARCHIVE: Sea Patrol (Spider and Bomber) One-Shots

This is a collection of older one-shots filed for your browsing pleasure. Lol.

No, really, they were taking up a lot of space and this was the easiest way to keep them online without having a bio page 147 entries long (which is what it may still look like with the large army of ideas brewing).

The general idea for this will be:

When one-shots get no reviews in three months  
* When one-shots, despite still getting reviews, are older than a year old

or because they're just getting in the way

they'll go in here…

**HERE'S THE ENTRIES SO FAR:**

(note: each page is a new story, don't be fooled by all that chapter business)

___Castles In The Sky  
__Chances Lost  
__Gemma Is My Sister  
In A Rut  
__Livin' On A Prayer  
__Nothing Matters More...  
__So Worn Down..._  
_The ABCs of Organisation__  
__You'll Always Hear My Voice_

And more will be added in due course.

But for now, enjoy!

Cheers,  
. Kate-Emma


	2. Castles In The Sky

Castles In The Sky

Two figures lay on the their backs on the quarterdeck, staring up at the sky. The one on the left raised her arm and pointed at a cloud. "Seahorse."

The other figure frowned. "That one?" The first figure nodded. He shrugged. "It looks like a rooster to me."

It was just before nightfall. The sky had turned a pretty pinky-blue and the clouds, little more than wisps that rolled in before nightfall and rolled away even quicker, had caught the attention of two very bored individuals on the deck. She trying to avoid cleaning up after dinner, and he trying to avoid the other crewmembers, one of which (ET), had started taunting him about a small pile of pictures that he'd uncovered in the Seaman's cabin.

"Dragon." He pointed to another cloud.

She laughed. "Are you serious? It's a dog!"

"It's a dragon." He protested. She shook her head. "Okay, fine. But that one is definitely a whale."

"It looks like a map of Antarctica to me." She grinned.

"Are you purposely being difficult?" He asked, still looking up at the sky.

She laughed. "Yes, yes I am."

He propped himself up on one arm and frowned down at her. "Sometimes I think you would literally implode if you were forced to be nice to me." He pouted.

She feigned caring. "Oh Spider, I'm sorry. I'll try being nicer."

He smiled. "Thank you."

"… when you try being smarter." She finished with a laugh.

He grumbled and went back to lying on his back. "You know, when I was little I used to think people lived in the clouds."

"Like angels?" Bomber asked with the hint of a smile.

"No!" Spider protested, glaring at her out of the corner of his eye again. "Like, real people. Like storybook people. People like me."

"So, stupid people then?"

"I'm going to ignore that for everyone's sake." He took the moral high ground as Bomber continued to grin so her cheeks hurt. "I'd just lay on my back in the fields outside our house and stare up at them for hours, thinking that one day I'd see someone."

"I used to see my dad in the clouds." Bomber admitted. Spider sat up with a frown but Bomber was miles away, caught up in the sky above her. "Not literally see him mind, I'm not cuckoo, but you know what I mean right?" She glanced at him for confirmation and he nodded. She continued. "I'd lay in one of the dry back paddocks, after the sheep had been moved on of course, and just have my tape deck and some batteries for when the first lot ran out. I'd sit there for hours with just the tape player playing my dad's old Midnight Oil tapes and stare up at the clouds until it got dark or Jessie turned up demanding I talk to her."

"Midnight Oil? That's old school."

Bomber snorted. "Uh, first of all, I was 12. Second, Midnight Oil are very Australian and we're a patriotic bunch out west." She smiled. "Dad's favourite was Bushfire. But we did a long drive when I was eight, on the old Gunbarrel Highway in WA, and dad played that song over and over until we couldn't stand it anymore." Her smile fell slowly.

"Do you still miss him?" Spider asked, turning back to the sky.

Bomber murmured a reply and Spider sat up to catch the end. "… I think I miss the tapes more." She grinned as he laughed.

"Note to self: find Bomber some Midnight Oil." He grinned and lay back down. "So, do you think there are people in the clouds?"

"I'm not a religious person Spider…"

"But, do you?" Spider asked again, determined for an answer.

"If it helps you sleep at night Spi." Bomber sat up and pushed herself to her feet.

"Bomber!" Spider growled, sitting up as well.

Bomber stopped and turned. "Serious Spider?" He nodded. "Who knows?" She shrugged. "For all we know there could be castles in the sky." She turned to walk inside.

"Hey, you didn't say which one was your favourite Midnight Oil song." Bomber laughed and shot back on last line that made Spider frown and turn his attentions back to the sky. "In the valley I walk, I cried, yes I cried, I was down then I crawled." He repeated the lyrics to himself softly then, lying back down, Spider finally saw that damn seahorse and he grinned.

**A/N: **All this to deal with having no one to go with to see Midnight Oil in Canberra on the twelfth. Songs are Gunbarrel Highway, Bushfire and In The Valley by Midnight Oil. To note: In The Valley is my personal favourite MO song.


	3. Chances Lost

**Chances Lost…**

Bomber yawned and put her head down against the cool bench in front of her. It was a little after two, the middle of summer, and stinking hot. In the galley things were just a little better than the engine rooms but Bomber was dying from the heat. Now things had gone a little quiet after lunch she managed to find time to breath, having now discovered the only cool place left in the ship was the metal bench in the galley that had just been covered in items from the fridge. It had retained the cool and was very inviting. So, making sure she was alone, Bomber placed her warm forehead against the cool bench and suddenly felt a whole lot better. Until she heard voices and turned to see Spider and ET walk past. She stood up just in time, but knocked over a small bowl of grapes in the process. The little buggers rolled everywhere, out into the hall, catching the boys' attention. ET glanced up at her and laughed but Spider made an effort to stop. Stop and laugh. Heating up quickly, a mix of no more cold bench and embarrassment, Bomber scowled at him. He just grinned and motioned to the grapes.

"Need any help picking those up?" He asked, still laughing and spitting out the words between peels of laughter. Despite it being almost friendly, Bomber continued to scowl at him so he just shrugged and started picking up the grapes anyway. After he had a handful and walked over and put them back in the bowl, squashing a few grapes in the process. He grinned and handed her the bowl. "Wash them and no one will notice."

Bomber shrugged. "Doesn't matter, they're only for the plebs anyway." She joked, putting them back on the bench.

"Well, in that case don't bother washing them." Spider said, giving his usual stupid pout and tipping his head a little. Bomber just shook her head at him and, probably for the first time in the time she'd known him, Spider took the hint and left.

With a sigh Bomber went back to picking up grapes.

***

The sound of Buffer humming softly to himself hit Spider's ears long before his voice and he glanced up at his friend with a sly smile. "Good mood Buff?" He teased.

Buffer frowned at him, joining him at the EOD and glancing down at the relatively blank screen. "You would be too Spider, if you were as lucky as I am." He gave a small grin.

Spider laughed. "I'm going to hazard a guess here and say… Monica?"

Buffer nodded. "Shore leave. Finally." He glanced at his watch. "Two days, 3 hours and 45 minutes."

Spider laughed. "You've got a countdown?"

Buffer shrugged. "You'll get here too one day." He said, somewhat mysteriously, before disappearing. Spider just shook his head with a small smile and went back to work.

***

"If you lean against that counter one more time I'll kill you." Bomber warned, entering her galley to find ET pressing his arms up against the bench top counter.

ET turned. "Oh, but Bomb it's cold." He gave a puppy-dog face and Bomber sighed.

"Fine." She gave in; turning to the fridge to grab what was for dinner. "But if you stink up that bench you're cleaning it." She teased.

ET growled. "So this is why you and Nik… Nav are friends." He caught himself, but it was too late. Bomber turned and glanced at him, checking the hall outside the galley was empty before speaking.

"How is it, you and Nikki? I mean, is it hard, in this situation?" She asked.

ET groaned. "How many people…?" He said, more to himself than anyone else.

Bomber smiled softly. "I'm sorry, it's a bit obvious." She paused. "But, I don't think anyone really minds." She continued, seeing the look of horror on his face after her first comment.

ET shrugged. "Eh, whatever." He continued leaning against the cool patch but then glanced up at her. "Why do you want to know whether it's hard?" He asked, giving her a cheeky look.

Bomber gaped a little, realizing what she'd said. "Oh, no reason." She turned back to the bench behind her and started to pull lettuce leaves off and place them in a bowl.

ET chuckled. "Okay, sure." He paused and Bomber glanced back in the hope he'd gone silently, but he was just grinning at her, waiting for her to reply. He nodded his head slowly as she glanced at him. "So…"

Bomber turned with a sigh. "So what? Just leave it alone alright ET?"

ET laughed. "Calm down, keep going like this and the whole ship will hear you." He lowered his voice. "You can tell me. Who is it?" Bomber crossed her arms and shook her head. "Fine, then I'll just guess." He scratched his chin. "RO?" Bomber shook her head. He frowned but seemed to believe her and continued. "Buffer?" He fished.

Bomber laughed. "What? No!" She exclaimed.

Again he gave her a look and a frown, but kept fishing. He made it through six names before finally stopping, realization across his face. "Spider!" He said, knowing he'd got it this time. Bomber's eyes left his and he clapped, laughing. "Nice. Oh, I knew it."

Bomber glared at him. "You suck." She turned back to the lettuce.

ET stopped laughing. "Oh, I'm sorry Bomb." He was quiet for a minute. "Uh, does he know you like him?" Bomber didn't turn but shook her head slowly. He made a noise like he was sucking air in between his teeth and Bomber turned to find him looking at the floor, deep in thought. He then surprised Bomber with a comment that seemed far too serious for him. "Just tell him. What have you got to lose?"

Bomber lowered her eyebrows. "My job, my pride." She suggested.

ET shrugged. "If you think they're more important…" He said, giving her a blank look. And then, with a small nod, he left the galley. Bomber sighed. ET was right.

***

Bomber joined Spider, who was leaning on the railing watching Buffer leave, as shore leave finally arrived. She glanced up at him. "What are you doing?" She asked, smiling at the look on his face as he watched Buffer hug Monica who'd been waiting on the dock for him.

Spider glanced at her. "Just, you know, making sure…" He stopped, glancing at her. "And what are you doing here?"

Bomber shrugged. "Waiting for you to stop stalking Buffer so I could ask you if you were doing anything this weekend." She said, making Spider frown at her.

"Where did this come from?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in her direction.

Bomber shrugged. "I don't know." She tipped her head a little. "So, you in?"

Spider grinned as another car pulled up beside Buffer and Monica. "Yeah, if you think you wo…" He stopped as an all-too-familiar girl got out of the car. It was Carly Walsman, his now-ex. Bomber must've seen her too because she let out a small breath and glanced up at him. Spider's smile fell before he gave Bomber a 'sorry' look and disappeared inside. Bomber just stared down at the girl, the moment ruined by the little rich blonde, and sighed. Chance lost.


	4. In A Rut

IN A RUT

Spider is an idiot.

Okay, so while that statement stands alone, I probably should reiterate how I managed to reach that very obvious conclusion.

Let's put it this way: 2Dads' first day, a prank gone wrong and a Seaman with the memory of a goldfish.

This is what I get for taking part in pranks that should be left to bored kids with a camera phone and Youtube account.

I blame myself.

It's shore leave, we're on some tiny little island in the middle of nowhere, and Buffer decides it's time to initiate the new guy (apparently they initiate everyone – I'm guessing mine was a snake on a boat so in that sense Leo's been rather lucky). Seaman Webb, 'brilliant idea' and me ending up falling down an abandoned mine shaft. That's the long and short of it anyway.

So now I sit in darkness, trapped and waiting for any sign that the Hammersley hasn't packed up and buggered off without me. Is it too self-obsessed to assume they'll remember me straightaway and are currently up there now just muttering 'where's Bomber? I miss her already', not that being missed by any of those guys is at the top of my list of things to achieve. Why, just a 'where the heck is that woman that cooks our food?' will do me.

That and some light so I could at least see where I am. Instead it's just pitch black, my inner monologue and me. And that's not a good place to be; the inside of my head.

So, some company would be nice. Just not Spider…

Spider is an idiot.

***

"DADDY!"

The man in the dark blue shirt and big hat turned quickly, dropping the shovel. He grinned at the sight of two girls, one sporting her father's oversized gumboots and the other staring disapprovingly at her sister. Try and guess which one was me. If you said gumboots I'm afraid you're mistaken.

I was 10 and my little sister was 7. It was April and, although we didn't know it then, my dad had only months to live.

"Hello girls." He beamed. This is how I remember him best, working on the garden, his big booming voice being heard all the way across the farm. His big hugs and bigger smiles. Everything about my dad in my memory is big and friendly. Like an oversized teddy bear. "You stole my gumboots Jess?"

Jessica laughed. "I'm coming to help daddy."

I gave the look I reserved solely for my sister. "Dad's busy." I looked at him. "You're busy, aren't you dad?" I know now how much I sounded like my mother, a fact I denied strongly between the ages of 14 and 18 but something I embrace now.

Dad grinned. "Busy as a blue-assed fly pumpkin." His nickname for me used to make me frown, even if I let him get away with it because he was the only one who could, but now I miss it. Not that I'd ever let anyone else call me it these days. "You going to help?"

I gave him my disapproving look. "Dad, I have homework." Turning on my heel I went back inside, back to my books and away from my sister. The time I didn't spend with my dad is the thing I regret most.

***

My second biggest regret was coming on this prank. Right now I could be standing in my precious galley scouring the cupboards for anything I can throw together that will in some way represent dinner. But oh no, why do that when I can stay sitting in a hole waiting for rescue?

As mum used to say, 'It's worse than a Mount Isa pickle'. And that's saying a lot because I don't recall anyone ever growing pickles in my hometown.

***

Mum was the bane of my existence when I was young, when I was a teen and maybe even now, even if we've only just returned to talking. She's taken to opening every call from me with 'how's my devil from the deep blue sea?' She thinks she's funny and I'm not one to rain on anyone's parade – unless it's one of Charge's jokes. That man is NOT funny!

My sister was always mum's favourite – adorable and sweet. Me? Can you picture me doing adorable and sweet? It's like trying to picture a scorpion doing adorable and sweet. So she got everything. The nicest riding boots. From the Neapolitan ice cream she got chocolate and I got vanilla. If we were at the Mt Isa fair she got a $20 note to spend on rides and fairy floss, I got $10 to spend on sandwiches. Okay, maybe not that far, but she was the favourite.

After dad died it got worse. It was during this stage that I started my long and arduous Navy application, something that I managed to hide easily from my not-so-nosey mother. Not that I hold it against her, after dad I was a moody teenager who just made it more obvious I hated my mother. So when she told me to run off to the Navy and never come back it was an offer too good to refuse.

***

Like the small line of rope that has just trickled down in front of me – an offer far too good to refuse. Heck, right now a man with the malice intent of Ray Walsman and the creepy 'charm' of Finn McLean could be on the end of it and I'll be happy.

Course, I realise as sun hits my eyes, I could always just take the puppy-dog-eyed looks of a certain Seaman.

"Hey Bomber."

Shaking my head in his direction, and with one glance at mum's bracelet, I walk away.

"Not gonna thank me?"

Now he's pushing it. I stop and smile. "Spider…" he stops, waiting for the thank you he'll never get. My smile fades. "… You're an idiot!"


	5. Living On A Prayer

Livin' On A Prayer  


"Two words; Bon Jovi tickets!"  
Buffer laughed. "Mate, Bon Jovi is two words."  
Spider pouted, his face resembling that of a small animal, and then he brightened and shrugged. "Whatever. So, you in? My cousin won three tickets and you seem like a Jovi fan." He bounded around Buffer, who was trying to eat, like an oversized fly. Buffer tried not to choke on a piece of steak with laughter at the look on Spider's face. "C'mon, it coincides so very, very nicely with shore leave. Come on." Puppy-dog face. Buffer didn't fall for it.  
"Sorry mate but I'm catching up with Monica this shore leave. You'll have to find someone else."  
"Oh, but Buff, it's Bon Jovi and I can't t…" He was cut off by a voice at the door.  
"You finished Buff? I'm doing the washing up now." Bomber asked as she entered the mess. Buffer nodded, putting his knife and fork on his plate and handing it back to her with a smile. Bomber glanced up at Spider. "What's this about Bon Jovi tickets?" She looked back at Buffer.  
Buffer glanced up at Spider, who was now shaking his head and sliding a finger across his neck to obviously symbolise Buffer shouldn't tell her anything, but Buffer just smiled mischievously. "Oh Jason won three tickets to the Bon Jovi show this weekend. Spider's desperate for someone to take the ticket off his hands. You free?"  
Bomber glanced as Spider, who quickly stopped his motioning and gave her a smile, but as she looked back at Buffer he glared in the man's direction. "You serious? I love Bon Jovi!" Bomber grinned back at Spider and he gave in.  
"Yeah, I'm serious. It's yours if you want it." He forced himself to say.  
Bomber's grin widened. "Serious? Gosh, you're the best Billy, I owe you one!" She basically skipped from the room.  
Spider turned his attention to Buffer. "I could kill you."  
Buffer laughed. "You'll enjoy yourself. Go on, go tell Jason the good news, that you found someone to take the ticket."  
Spider shot Buffer a death stare and slouched from the room. Buffer just chuckled and opened his folder of paperwork.

***

"Bomber?" Spider appeared at the doorway of the galley, not a rare occurrence, but this time he was welcome.  
Bomber grinned up at him, her hands covered in flour from rolling rissoles. She wiped a hair off her head with the back of her hand. "Hey Spi, what's up?"  
"I heard back from Jason."  
Bomber frowned. "Oh, what'd he say? Can I still have the ticket?" She looked a little crestfallen so Spider didn't run with the initial lie about having lost the tickets. Instead he told her the truth.  
"Yeah, he's happy to give it to you." He said. In fact Jason had been delighted, saying stuff about telling mum about Billy's new girlfriend, to which Spider had threatened to dangle him from the quarterdeck railing next time he came for a visit. "But he's pulling out, he has a date for that night. I was wondering if your sister Jessie might want it."  
Bomber glanced back up at him. She had no idea that Spider even knew Jessie existed. She couldn't recall speaking about her to him. Still, Spider had a habit of lurking in corners during private conversations, so that was probably all it was. She smiled. "That's a lovely thought Spider, but she's busy with Alex and the farm." She thought for a moment. "I could ask RO if he'd like to come?" She brightened up at the prospect of having RO there for company.  
Spider nearly groaned. As if having Bomber for company wasn't enough (enough of what he couldn't be sure but nonetheless enough), now he'd have to compete with the irritatingly melodramatic and mostly dull RO. But he smiled weakly back at her. "Yeah, good idea." The sound of a noose swinging in the breeze could be heard in his head. Goodbye good night rocking out to Bon Jovi. "Will you ask him for me?"  
Bomber nodded with a smile. "Sure, I'll get back to you." He didn't leave so she tipped her head slightly. "Anything else?"  
"Uh, the tickets are for the mosh pit, if you want to know."  
Bomber nodded approvingly. "Cool." She glanced back at Spider who was watching her with a blank expression. "What?"  
"Nothing, I just thought you'd probably prefer seating. I mean, you…"  
"William Webb, if you call me old I will kill you." But there was clear humour in her voice.  
"Not old exactly, just, you know, past mosh pitting." He suggested, stumbling over his lame excuse.  
"I'm 21, not 41!" She snorted. Then she stopped and looked back at Spider. "Are you sure you don't mind me taking this ticket?"  
Spider shook his head mutely. Bomber continued. "It's just that you seem to be fishing for reasons to get rid of me."  
"What? I offered the spare ticket to your sister!" Spider knew he was caught, so he turned the guilt on to Bomber, looking like a hurt little rabbit in headlights. "Why would I do that if I wanted to get rid of you?"  
Bomber sighed and looked at the floor. "Sorry." She gave him a weak, lop-sided smile. "Bon Jovi!" She clapped her hands together enthusiastically then coughed as the flour blew around her in a cloud. She laughed and waved it away. "I wouldn't pick you as a Bon Jovi fan Spider."  
Spider, preoccupied by the smudge of flour on her left cheek, just grunted in reply. Bomber continued, oblivious to his gaze. "Probably more like Good Charlotte, Simple Plan?" She teased.  
Spider snapped out of his trance. "Well if you're going to stand there and insult me I'm off."  
But Bomber seemed too caught up in listing emo bands he hated (she was now up to the Arctic Monkeys) to hear him so he just left. And though he knew he should be working or stressing about spending a concert with RO, he could only think about how much he wanted to wipe that bit of flour off Bomber's cheek.

***

"Robert…" A teasingly familiar voice called from the doorway and Robert glanced up from his bonsai tree to see Bomber standing there. He smiled and ushered her in.  
"Hey. You know you have flour on your cheek right?" He pointed out, painstakingly blunt as always. But it was one of the reasons Bomber liked RO, and she grinned and wiped it off. He nodded, indicating she'd got it, and she leant against the table, watching him cut his bonsai.  
"What's its name?" She asked with a grin.  
RO turned. "What?"  
"The tree, what did you name it?" Bomber continued with a cheeky smile.  
RO just cast his eyes skyward and shook his head. "If you're going to be facetious then you can go."  
Bomber laughed. "I'll stop. I just wanted to know what you're doing on Sunday. Bon Jovi is playing and guess who has tickets?"  
RO looked back at his bonsai tree. "You?"  
"No, Spider actually." RO just snorted as Bomber continued quickly. "But he has a spare one, says I can give it to you."  
RO mulled over it for a moment. "Spider actually said that?" He looked back at Bomber who nodded. "The only thing Spider has ever given me is a headache." He said with a slight smile.  
"Well, I suggested it but he kinda agreed. Anyway, whatever, it's yours if you want it."  
RO shook his head. "I'm busy on Sunday. Holly is going out with Darryl."  
"So?" Bomber asked, unsure of the link.  
"So, he's Darryl and I don't trust him."  
Bomber groaned. "RO, Holly isn't 12, she can look after herself."  
RO glanced back at her quickly. "It isn't her I'm worried about."  
"So you're not coming?"  
RO shook his head. "Sorry Bomber, maybe next time."  
"Because you're stalking your sister." She rolled her eyes. "That's a bit sad RO."  
RO turned in his chair. "I don't think you get it Bomber. I mean, it's Dar…"  
Bomber cut him off, standing up and waving him away. "Yeah, yeah, it's Darryl, spawn of Satan. Whatever RO, but if Holly kills you I'm not batting an eyelid in your direction." She gave him a wave and left. Her next suggestion was Nikki. But she knew she'd probably end up going after anyone. For some reason the idea of her and Spider out by themselves made her feel a little uneasy.

***

But luck was not on Bomber's side and when Sunday rolled around she found herself meeting Spider on the dock, dressed in her nicest civvies. Spider looked her up and down once, leaving Bomber feeling slightly uncomfortable, then smiled. "You don't scrub up too bad Bomber." He teased.  
Bomber poked her tongue out at him. "Quiet you, Mr Hawaiian shirt." She touched his shirt lightly, laughing at the garishness of the colours and patterns. "Who chose this?" She asked, glancing back up at him (he was a full head taller than her, another thing rather annoying about him).  
"Mum." He grumbled, trying to hide what he was saying. Bomber laughed so hard her stomach hurt before she finally stopped as she noticed Spider pouting at her.  
"Oh, I'm sorry. Really, it's nice you and your mum are so… close." She managed, smothering a laugh.  
"I hate you." He growled, glaring at her.  
Bomber grinned. "Sure you do." She pulled the two tickets he'd given her earlier out of her jeans pocket. "So, no one wanted this." She shrugged, handing him the spare ticket.  
He nodded. "I know. I asked around." He fanned himself with the ticket lazily. "I sold mine." He shoved the spare ticket in his pocket. "So, we off?"  
Bomber nodded. "Very forward-thinking Spider, you surprise me." She looped her arm around his jokingly and he glanced down at her. "C'mon, I'm starved."  
Spider frowned, removing his arm from hers slowly. "Why didn't you cook before we left the ship then?"  
Bomber smiled. "Because I knew you were buying. C'mon, let's go get something."  
"McDonalds?" Spider offered.  
Bomber rolled her eyes. "You have the culinary tastes of a 7-year-old." She shook her head. "Actually, I was looking at that restaurant on O'Keefe Street last shore leave. Youngs, you know the place?"  
Spider shrugged. "Okay, whatever. Though I'd prefer McDonalds."  
Bomber just laughed, shoving her ticket and hands in her pockets. "Let's go."

***

Youngs was busy, considering it was a little after 3pm. The man at the door gave them a small smile as they walked up. "Please tell me it's only the two of you." He said.  
Bomber grinned. "Yeah." He sighed with relief. "Pretty busy, what's going on?"  
He motioned towards the busy room. "A charter boat just came in. They gave us no warning." He grabbed two menus and two sets of knives and forks and they followed him into the crowd. "You got lucky actually, there was a cancellation just five minutes ago." He put the menus and cutlery down on a small table in the corner that had a candle sitting in the middle. "I hope you don't mind."  
Spider scoffed, blowing out the candle quickly. "Just my luck, we get the cosy couples cancellation." He grumbled.  
"Shut up." Bomber growled at him. She smiled at the waiter who'd just joined them. "Two beers, whatever's on tap." He nodded and walked off. Bomber took a seat, putting the candle at the end of the table as Spider, still grumbling quietly, joined her.  
He flicked open the menu and frowned. "Yeah, should've gone to McDonalds."  
Bomber scoffed. "You're pathetic. You're right tightwad, my shout."  
Spider glanced up. "No, I'll pay. That's not the issue. The problem is I have no idea what half these words are."  
Bomber rolled her eyes and pulled the menu off him. "I'll choose for you mister 'Big-Mac-is-real-food'." She laughed and scanned the list, just as the waiter came back with the beers. Spider took his gratefully, watching her scan the menu over the top of his beer. Finally she stopped and looked up at him. "What?" He was making her feel uncomfortable, staring at her like that. When he didn't answer she raised the menu a little higher so she couldn't see him any longer. Finally she found something and handed it back to him.  
"Well, what did you choose?" Spider asked, still holding his beer to his mouth.  
Bomber laughed. "Would it matter anyway? Would you know what it was?"  
Spider shrugged. "Good point."  
Once meals were ordered and Bomber had managed to get through one beer, she stopped being so rude and she and Spider actually managed a conversation, even a few shared jokes. A little after 5 Spider finally glanced at his watch and realised they should make a move. He was surprised it was already after 5, it felt like they'd only been there for half an hour, and he checked again but when Bomber checked her own watch and realised they needed to be at the concert in 20 minutes she swore softly. Spider chuckled and waived the waiter over who handed them the bill and then they jogged to the concert. They arrived with the last few patrons.  
"Just in time." Bomber breathed, a little puffed from the run. She handed in her ticket as they went in. Spider followed her in, grabbing her hand as they pushed their way through the mosh pit and as far to the front as they could go. Then the band came on stage and the place went wild.

***

Bomber laughed. "Who would've guessed a mosh pit would go crazy for a bunch of 80s American rockers." She grinned.  
Spider frowned. "You got lucky, they were pushing pretty hard."  
Bomber smiled and squeezed his hand, which, for some reason, was still around hers even though they'd left the mosh pit long ago. "Thanks for that." He'd been standing behind her, holding back the onslaught of the moshers, and making sure she didn't cop an elbow to the face. She glanced at his neck, where a drunken idiot had landed on him trying to surf the pit. "How's your neck?"  
Spider shrugged. "It'll be fine. Fat boy owes me a neck massage though."  
Bomber laughed. "Ask the X tomorrow, she might give you one."  
Spider narrowed his eyes at her and shook his head. "That was uncalled for." Bomber laughed again. He motioned to a taxi nearby. "You don't mind sharing? Just I don't like our chances of getting one each."  
Bomber nodded. "Agreed." They jogged up the nearest taxi, just beating three teenage girls who death stared them. As they got in the taxi Bomber shot them a cruel smile. Spider laughed.  
"Don't taunt them." He glanced at her. "You're staying with your friend, aren't you?"  
Bomber nodded. "Not that I'll see her for long. I can't believe we have a 5am start tomorrow. There should be some rule about these kinds of things." She leant forward and gave her friend's address to the taxi driver then leant back and clicked on her seat belt. "What about you? You going back to the Hammersley?"  
Spider nodded too. "Yeah, I think ET and Charge are still there so it shouldn't be too bad." He chuckled. "ET and Charge, not too bad, I think that crowd surfer knocked some brain cells out."  
"Oh no, there wasn't that many to begin with." Bomber grinned. Spider pouted at her. She shook her head. "You know, that puppy-dog face doesn't work on me." Spider shrugged. Bomber then noticed they'd reached her friend's street. She leant forward again, showing the taxi driver where to stop, and then turned to Spider. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." She opened the door then turned back to him. "Thanks again, I had a great night."  
Spider smiled and gave her a quick wave, then she got out. And, for the first time ever, Spider couldn't think of anything to say.

***

Bomber yawned loudly as she and Swain carried the boxes of medical supplies up onto the ship. She noticed Spider talking to Buffer on the quarterdeck and gave him a nod. He smiled at her but kept talking. After a few boxes Swain was called away by the X and Bomber was left to carry the last of the medical boxes and all the foodstuff onto the ship alone. She frowned at the 10 boxes still sitting on the docks then slowly picked one up. As she turned she ran into someone. It was Spider.  
"Hey, need any help?" He offered.  
Bomber grinned. "Thanks Spider." She watched him pick up a box then he followed her back towards the ship. She stopped and motioned to the spot by the gangplank. "Watch your step here. If you spill my food you won't be eating until the next shore leave." He chuckled and took a big, dramatic step over the spot Bomber had motioned to. Being it was only a little after 5 and still dark, Bomber couldn't really see that Spider was smiling at just about everything she said, but he was being helpful so she didn't really mind what he did. After a few minutes the cases were all on the ship and Bomber started unpacking things in the galley. Spider mulled around the doorway, already having run out of things to do. Eventually Bomber gave up and glanced at him. "You want a brew?" She asked, shooting him a smile.  
Spider shrugged. "Sure, why not." He leant on the doorway as Bomber made the coffee, then handed it to him when it was done.  
She motioned outside. "C'mon, let's get some air. Maybe someone will find you something to do and you can leave me alone."  
Spider gave her a cheeky grin. "Thanks. I feel so wanted." Bomber tapped his cheek affectionately as she walked past him and out onto the deck that was now quiet. The first rays of sunshine were starting to shine over the water and it looked rather beautiful. Bomber grinned at the sunrise.  
"Just, not too close to the edge this time." She joked, remembering the last time she and Spider had been on the deck alone with only two cups of coffee for company. Spider just shook his head with a smile before the pair leant against a nearby wall, glancing out at the ocean.  
After a few minutes of silence Spider started murmuring something under his breath and Bomber glanced him with a grin. "What the hell?" She laughed.  
Spider smiled. "Sorry, I have 'Livin On A Prayer' stuck in my head." Bomber laughed as Spider softly started singing the Bon Jovi song. She put down her coffee and offered him a hand. Spider just looked at it. "What?" He said with a laugh.  
"You aren't going to ask me to dance?" She said, giving him one of his puppy-dog pouts.  
Spider smiled, taking her hand. "Sure, why not." He put down his coffee and spun her. Bomber just laughed as he started singing again. As people started to appear on deck they stopped with a laugh and grabbed their coffee, returning to the wall and grinning at Buffer who had just appeared on the deck. He just gave them a look of confusion as they continued laughing like idiots. When he was gone Spider stopped. "I better go see if he needs anything done."  
Bomber nodded, taking his cup off him. "Sure." He turned away but Bomber stopped him. "Give us one last chorus as you go Spi." She asked with a smile.  
He frowned at her. "What am I, your performing monkey?" He joked.  
Bomber nodded again. "Yes, you are. Dance monkey dance." He tapped the cups together lightly, making a clunking noise.  
Spider bowed. "M'lady." He turned and started off and for a minute Bomber thought he wasn't going to sing, but then his voice drifted out from the side of the ship. "Oooh, we're half-way there, oh oh, living on a prayer. Take my hand and we'll make it I…"  
Bomber laughed then, carrying the mugs back inside. She shook her head with a smile. "Spider." She grinned and went back to work.


	6. Nothing Matters More

Nothing matters more…

_Nothing matters more than love,  
it's more terrible than pain  
I had it once, I lost it once  
I won't do that again_

He'd promised himself, after feeling and losing before, that he wouldn't let himself fall for someone again. At least, fall this hard so fast. But like all the other times he promised himself anything, that went out the door rather quickly. Especially when her life came under threat. Not once, not twice, but multiple times. The small moments, the big moments, all tore at him. If he lost her…

If…

_I said 'I won't let it control me  
The way I have before'  
But when you began to reach for me  
That went out the door_

The hardest part was hiding it. On a boat so small it wasn't easy. Hell, he hadn't managed to hide the crush he'd had on her when she first joined the Hammersley all those months ago, why could he think he'd successfully hide something like this?

He could stand his friends knowing.

He could stand his seniors knowing.

But then she started to show signs of knowing too…

_Now I stand here in confusion  
Do I stay or do I go?  
I wish I had an answer booklet  
Cos I really want to know_

She taunted, she teased and he took it all. He had no choice. Every word he said back, hiding the truth. He hoped every word she said hid something more too. More than friends. More than crewmates. More than who they were.

But she continued to deny him.

She continued to let him hurt.

Continued to let him pine in stone-cold silence.

_Will you ever feel like I feel?  
Can we ever get things right?  
Cos I want you now, I need you now  
And I won't give up this fight_

So every day he awoke with a name on his lips, a promise that he wouldn't let himself fall when his eyes first lay on her. And every day his promise was broken, his will shattered by a smile or a word or a look. His life decisions rearranged by an insult. Everything he'd achieved up till now, every success and every failure, they'd all brought him here.

To this moment.

When his heart hurt.

And his knees shook.

And he wondered when it would all end…

_Nothing matters more than love,  
it's more terrible than pain  
I had it once, I lost it once  
I won't do that again…_

**A/N: **For anyone who has read Bomber's bio on the Channel 9 site before they took it down, you'll know what I'm talking about here. If not, just try and guess. Go on, trust me, it isn't hard!


	7. So Worn Down

So Worn Down, So Torn Up… Still In Love

Turn. Fridge. Open. Gaze. Find. Turn. Drop Strawberries. Gasp. Growl.

"SPIDER!" She yelled, almost expecting him to appear from out of a cupboard or something like that. He was tricky that way. Instead he just appeared at the doorway a second later, almost expecting her yell.

"Yes?" He said as innocently as possible. Bomber didn't buy it for a second.

"Spider, just return it now and I'll try not to kill you." She managed.

He just shrugged stupidly. "As usual I have no idea what you're talking about Bomber."

Bomber breathed deeply. "Alright then, we'll just see what Buffer thinks when he realises someone has stolen his jelly."

Spider's expression dropped. "Buffer?"

Bomber nodded. "That's right." She turned away from him with a sly smile. "I didn't know he was such a fan either, but apparently he is. He'll be devastated." She gave a big fake sigh, waiting for the clink of her bowl back on the bench. She heard it a second later and turned back to find the jelly bowl sitting there and Spider gone. Bomber just laughed. Too easy.

***

"_These days are gone and we can't keep holding on when all we need is some relief from these hard times._" Nav sang softly as she walked slowly down the halls of the Hammersley. Obviously responding to her voice a face stuck itself around the corner from the galley.

"Nice voice Nav. Mind if I join in?" Bomber laughed.

Nav stopped. "Uh sure, if you know the words."

Bomber grinned. "Of course, Matchbox 20's 'These Hard Times'. I love that song!" She started to hum the tune and Nav joined her at the doorway, watching her putting together what looked like tripe.

"They're in Brisbane the week of our shore leave." Nav sighed.

Bomber glanced at her. "I know. I've got tickets but no one to go with. My sister hates Matchbox 20!"

Nav nearly collapsed. "What? Really? You do?" She was almost speechless and Bomber just laughed. "Well, you know, if you have a spare ticket..." She tried to be calm but it didn't work.

Bomber just nodded. "It's all yours Nav."

Nav laughed and clapped. "Woo, you're the best Bomb! The best." She danced off down the hall, singing the rest of the way.

***

Nav's voice got louder and more pronounced as the day wore on, no one keen to bring her down off her high, not even X who had already exclaimed that she needed to be quiet or face disciplinary charges. Nav had bought the empty threat and just grinned at Kate. Kate had given up then.

"You will stop before lights out won't you?" She'd managed over Nav's voice.

Nav had nodded while still singing. Kate just smiled. "I'm going to tame you down wild one!" She threw back at her as she left the bridge. Nav just grinned and continued.

***

Like most evenings Bomber headed to the deck for that little bit of piece before dinner had to be started, and stared out over the ocean. She could hear Nav's voice, now singing/yelling along to the sound in her head of 'All Your Reasons'. Bomber's smile faltered as another voice sounded nearby.

"Well, you've made her day haven't you?" Spider asked.

Bomber glanced back at him with a small smile. "I do my bit for the sanity of the crew." She was tempted to say 'unlike some people' but when Spider mock-frowned at her she knew he'd understood her already. They had that now, an unspoken connection of insults, and Bomber didn't mind that at all.

"Oh, I asked Buffer about his jelly obsession. He said he had no idea what I was talking about." Spider continued, almost smiling.

Bomber just laughed. "You're too easy Spider, too easy."

Spider shook his head. "I'll never trust anything you say ever again."

Bomber shrugged. "You didn't know this before." They were quiet for a minute then Spider spoke straight out of the blue.

"May I have this dance Miss Brown?" He asked. Bomber looked at him amused.

Then she took his outstretched hand. "Of course Mister Webb." She laughed as Spider spun her.

Nav's voice echoed across the deck as the pair danced like the childish idiots they could be.

"_You don't help me none, so worn down, so torn up, still in love._"


	8. You'll Always Hear My Voice

**Disclaimer: **'Sea Patrol', the Hammersley and all characters mentioned here are owned by McElroy and Australia's Channel 9

**You'll Always Hear My Voice…**  
Spider/Bomber One-Shot/Song-Fic

Yawn.  
Scratch Nose.  
Yawn Again.  
Rub Eyes.  
Roll Over.

"Bloody hell!" Spider jumped as a figure stood, only millimetres from his face, watching him wake up. It was ET. In his moment of haste to get away from ET's grinning face his head flew back and hit the wall behind him with a sickening thud. Grabbing his head, his eyes beginning to water, he sat up and glared at ET.

"What the hell ET?" He asked, the pain in his head making a dull, thudding sound echo around his skull. That had hurt, and had made a din. Just as ET was about to answer Nav and Bomber appeared at his door, quite obviously wondering what had happened. ET, to the amusement of the girls, explained while Spider fell back against his pillow in a slightly foetal position.

"No harm is there? No brain, no pain." Nav laughed. "I'm sure Bomber can check it out for you, can't you Bomb?" She glanced at the woman next to her who just laughed.

In Spider's mind he'd much rather have a rat crawl up his overalls than admit to Bomber he was wondering whether this pain was a serious sign of head trauma. It was common knowledge now that he and the new girl had started a war that wouldn't be resolved any time soon.

"Him? I'm more worried about the wall!" Her laugh washed over him but he ignored it. He was in a level of unquestionable pain.

After a few minutes of Spider not taking their bait the girls got bored and left. ET muttered something incoherently and Spider looked up at him.

"What did you want ET?" He asked wearily.

ET just smiled. "Time to get up. They've found the raft."

_Fall away fall away  
I'm never coming back  
This is a hard run attack  
It isn't what you'd say or what you say  
You'll never hear my voice_

It was one of those large rafts that professionals took with them. Easier to spot than the little ones but had still taken the Hammersley, with the help of a local Search and Rescue chopper, four days to find it. With the Rescue chopper needed a little further down the east coast, the Hammersley crew were left with the task of fishing the man out of the sea and taking him back to the real world. Him and his Kelpie, a prospect which had lit up Bomber's face when she'd heard it. It was one of the many things that made Bomber genuinely smile, and for some reason this made Spider uncomfortable. He didn't know why. But he could tell she had a thing for dogs, and they seemed to have a thing for her too. This was the third one they'd saved from the water so far.

"Wakey wakey Spider." Buffer tapped him as they came closer to the raft and Spider was met with a smirk from Bomber who was sitting on his right. He shot her a pair of raised eyebrows and looked back at the raft. They were close now and Spider could see the occupants rummaging around inside, making the inflatable rock in the water. The dog came to the opening and Spider heard Bomber emit a slight 'ooh'ing sound but he didn't look at her. A second later the man appeared at the opening.

"Australian Navy, we're here to take you home sir." Buffer called. The man, Spider noticed, looked rather nervous by having them here but he smiled anyway.

"And… and about time too." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

_So load your gun and fire it so we can forget this now  
Load your gun and fire it, stop when you hear the sound  
But I won't_

"X, it's a Kelpie. It just needs to run about a bit." Bomber pleaded the crying dog's case.

Ro jumped on her side but Spider just sat back and watched. He knew better than to fight the X over anything, let alone a stupid dog who'd been tied up downstairs for over two hours now and had been crying and barking since it got on board.

"She's right ma'am. If you just let it out on the deck for a bit it might stop that noise."

Bomber gave Ro an appreciative smile and Spider frowned. What a kiss-up. But then X did something they hadn't expected. She agreed.

"Alright Bomber, you take care of him. But if you neglect any of your duties playing with the puppy we'll talk."

Bomber grinned, looking like she was practically about to launch herself at the X and hug her. Instead she just walked as calmly as she could muster downstairs and off to find the dog. Ro gave the X a nod and went back to work, and it was then that Spider noticed the X was watching him.

"Ma'am?" He asked.

"Go with her Spider. And go see how Mr. Harris is doing while you're down there." She then turned back to talk to Nav. Stifling a sigh Spider did what he was told. After checking the dog's owner was fast asleep he headed back up to the deck to find Bomber throwing her cap at the dog for it to catch.

"Better not let the X see you doing that, she'll have a fit."

Bomber turned and gave him a smile. Spider almost frowned but held back. What was up with him today? He just put it down to the on-going headache and proceeded to make himself comfortable leaning up against the railing, watching Bomber and the dog, and rubbing his sore and smarting eyes. Bloody ET.

"So, what's it's name anyway?" He asked, not looking at her as he was rubbing his eyes.

He could hear Bomber call it over and then the chain around the dog's neck jingled as she grabbed it. "Stevens." She paused. "Stevens? What kind a name is that?" Spider finally looked at her to see her frowning.

Spider just chuckled. "What's better, Stevens or Foo-Foo?"

Bomber just smirked. "Why? You thinking of changing your Pomerian's name?"

Spider didn't know what a Pomerian was, but he guessed from her tone it was a little dog and gave her a withering look. Bomber just laughed again and tossed her cap again. When the dog didn't return it she called it's name. It didn't respond at all.

Bomber glanced up at him. "Stevens isn't his name. He doesn't even know it."

"Maybe it's just stupid?" Spider suggested. Bomber frowned but didn't answer him. Instead she just chased the wayward dog down the side of the ship. Alone on the deck, Spider went back to leaning against the railing and rubbing his eyes. He glanced up when he heard a footstep on the deck near him and a small click, but didn't look up into the familiar face he'd expected to see. Instead, in front of him, stood Mr. Harris very much awake and holding a gun to Spider's face.

"Don't try anything." He ordered Spider, clicking off the safety. Spider took a small breath and glanced around him. Just his luck. The deck was deserted. He tried to reason with the man.

"What are you doing Mr. Harris?" He asked calmly, well as calmly as he could.

"It's not Mr. Harris, it's Mr. Stevens." Suddenly the dog tag was clear. Stevens wasn't the dog, it was the owner. "And I need you to help me turn this boat around."

"Of course, whatever you want Mr. Stevens. Just put the safety back on okay?" He suggested, wishing he could just reach his own gun that was still on his thigh. But he'd had his hands to his eyes when Stevens came out and hadn't been able to put them down. They sat, useless, over his chest, too far away from his gun or anything else useful.

Mr. Stevens appeared to be listening to Spider as he raised his thumb to the safety, but then everything went wrong. Bomber's voice echoed over the deck as she followed the dog back towards them. Shocked by the new voice Mr. Stevens turned and, intentional or not Spider didn't know, fired on Bomber. The bullet caught her in the shoulder and she gaped for a moment before falling. Spider seized his chance and grabbed his gun.

"PUT THE GUN DOWN. DOWN, NOW." Stevens, still in a state of shock at having actually fired the weapon, did what he was told. The gunshot had attracted attention and a moment later Buffer and the CO came out onto the deck as Spider ordered the man to the ground. Buffer helped him restrain the man, which gave Spider the opportunity to finally go to Bomber. She was leaning up against the side of the boat, gripping her shoulder and trying to stop the bleeding. Her face was so white it was almost transparent and Spider could see her starting to lose consciousness.

"Bomber?" He asked, watching her bloody fingers press white as she tried to hold the wound with what little energy she had left. As he watched she finally fell unconscious and, pressing his hand over her own, Spider lifted her to her feet and half-dragged, half-carried her inside.

_Talk to me talk to me  
As if I was here not on the other side of the  
Curtain wall this is your curtain call  
You'll always hear my voice_

He picked her off her feet gently and laid her down on the ship's medical bed. She was still unconscious and Spider wondered what would happen next. Actually, if he was more realistic with his feelings he would've known he was worried. The CO and the X joined him a moment later, followed by Nav and ET who brought with them medical equipment. The CO just glanced at Nav and the X as they talked about what to do next. He then looked at Spider.

"We need to talk about what happened up there." He told the slightly shaken Seaman.

Spider motioned to Bomber. "I'd like to help out down here first."

The CO nodded. "I'll get Ro, we'll need to call base. We can get back to the mainland in the next two hours if nothing else goes wrong." He frowned. "Of all the weeks Swain had to take off." He hurried off.

Swain was having problems at home. His young wife Sally had only just given birth to their baby daughter and was suffering from Post-Natal Depression. Swain had gone home to look after Chloe while Sally attended her first week of counseling. That, however, left the Hammersley now without a medical officer. Bomber was second-in-charge.

"Spider." Nav shoved what looked like a cotton pad in his face. It was a gauze pad and he placed it under he and Bomber's hands to help the bleeding. As he'd lifted her hand softly he'd seen the hole. Only small, it was almost perfectly circular and just inside he could almost make out the bullet. He knew that this was a good sign. It hadn't gone very far in, so it would be easy to get out. But there was still a hell of a lot of blood and Spider glanced around the bullet hole to see where this was coming from. He then noticed the small piece of plastic embedded in her shoulder just further up. The pen in her arm pocket. It had been hit by the bullet and had broken and stuck in her skin just further up her shoulder. It didn't look too far in, but obviously Bomber hadn't noticed this when she'd been hit and it was actually bleeding worse than the bullet hole. He pointed it out to Nav who just frowned.

"Great, now she runs the risk of poisoning too."

Spider just frowned and glanced back at the pen and bullet hole. He couldn't even stop the bleeding in the pen hole because that would make the shard go deeper. He was completely unable to help Bomber right now and he felt useless because of it.

_So load your gun and fire it so we can forget this now  
So load your gun and fire it, stop and take your bow  
But I won't_

"The medic's on the phone." ET said, handing the phone to Nav who had now established herself as the one in charge. Spider didn't mind. He'd never been much of a leader anyway.

Nav picked up the phone but was stopped by a voice; quiet but still easy enough to hear. "No, we don't need a medic. I'll tell you what to do." Bomber had woken up, was speaking, and was now ordering them to do what she said.

Spider interjected. "Bomber, you're badly injured. We need to give you morphine. You can't tell us what to do under morphine."

Bomber just raised one finger towards him. "For once in your life Spider, shut up." She glanced at Nav. "Please, at least you'll know when it's best to take something out." She almost teared up at the concept of telling people to pull things from her own body, but gathered herself. Nonetheless Spider could feel her hand starting to shake under his and pressed a little harder to stop it. Bomber continued. "The medic isn't here, and you don't know the correct way to explain to him where the bullet is." She seemed to be getting nothing out of Nav and tried her luck with Spider. "Please."

Spider agreed. He glanced up at Nav. "She's second-in-charge medical officer, let her do her job."

Nav shook her head. "Alright, but you're explaining this to the CO." She handed the phone back to ET and glanced down at Bomber. "What do I need to do first?"

Once his hand was no longer needed Spider made for the door, but Bomber grabbed his wrist. "Where do you think you're going?" She muttered, smiling weakly.

Spider frowned. "Look, i…" He wasn't about to admit that he was starting to feel guilty about her being here. He'd stuffed up, again. He hadn't been aware of Stevens sneaking onto the deck, he hadn't warned her and he hadn't done anything when Stevens turned on her. That and it was genuinely hurting him seeing her in this state, seriously injured but still brave enough to conduct her own operation.

But Bomber didn't need an explanation, she just smiled. "It's fine. Go." She turned her attention back to Nav and, despite not wanting to leave her like this, Spider left the room.

Ro basically jumped him as he entered the control room. "What's happening? How is she?" Spider just nodded at him and went to the X who had been watching him enter.

"She's doing alright. We've got her patched up enough. We had to take out the pen bit, but the bullet is still in there. It's lodged against her collarbone." X just nodded. "How long till we reach the mainland ma'am." He asked.

X glanced at the clock. "About half an hour. She'll be okay until then won't she?"

Spider just nodded again and turned away. He really, really hoped she would.

_Your mind's set so it never matters anyway  
We're both right cos we never hear a word we say  
Slip back take a look around and let me know  
Is this real so we turn around and let it… go_

The ride to the hospital, according to Nav, had been a rather eventful one with Bomber constantly telling the officers what to do until she finally lapsed unconscious. Nav explained to Spider, as the pair stood talking near the foot of Bomber's bed, that the ink from the pen had poisoned her slightly and her body had gone into a state of shock to control it. Their fears had been correct, but that certainly didn't make Spider feel any better. Instead he glanced at Bomber's barely moving figure with a tinge of apprehension. Would she be alright? And if, no when, she woke up would she back to the egg throwing, smirking person he knew too well? And Spider realized he was really worried about Bomber, but not in the same way the others were but at a much deeper level. He really liked the girl, and he didn't want her here like this. He'd give anything right now to swap positions with her, make her okay instead of him. But in truth he wasn't okay. He was heartbroken.

The other members of the crew popped in and out during the day but Spider didn't leave her side, even when the X came in and suggested he get some food. Instead he ended up getting Ro to bring it in to him, much to the staff's displeasure. Ro was doing about as well as Spider was, but typical Ro kept it hidden from the world. Spider knew he wasn't doing as well as Ro with this, his pain was written all over his face. That and Ro was able to think the best and walk away from it all, if only for a short time. It was fine for him, Bomber considered him a friend. As far as he could tell from he and Bomber's previous encounters she wasn't much of a fan of Spider's strange sense of humour.

It was a little after nine on the Saturday night, almost two days since she'd been brought in, and Spider was starting to fall asleep in his chair. He'd done that many times, waking to find himself in his bed without any knowledge of how he got there. Once he'd thought he'd seen ET and Buffer enter the room as his eyes started to droop, but he'd put that down as a strange dream. He'd also heard Nav and the X talking about him behind the curtain as if they believed he wasn't there. They were wondering how they'd get him back on the ship on Monday morning if Bomber was still unconscious. Spider knew he'd get back on the ship on Monday, but he certainly wouldn't enjoy it. But now he was alone in the small room of the military hospital, just him and Bomber. He decided to stay awake tonight, he had a strange feeling things would turn out better if he did.

He decided the best way to keep himself awake was to talk to Bomber, the doctor had actually suggested it but he'd felt stupid doing it up until now. Not that it stopped the others, they'd all already spoken to her at least once. Of course she hadn't reacted to anything they'd said, but it wouldn't hurt him to give in a try.

"Hey Bomber. I'd ask you how you were doing but that would just be a stupid question wouldn't it?" He laughed softly to himself. He felt stupid but at the same time it seemed to be a chance for him to clear his mind of things. Things that he didn't think he'd say to anyone in the real world. He talked about things that had happened in his past, his life before the navy, his first year on the Hammersley, his opinions on the other members of the crew, a short list of his personal favourite foods and a few of his favourite jokes. And of course she listened, she had no other choice. But Spider got the feeling that if she'd been awake she would've listened anyway. And with that realization fell silent. Without her replies his words seemed empty. He missed her voice.

_I'll be up I'll be gone I'll move on towards town  
Your mind's set  
Drop down turn around everyone forget me now  
Then we say…  
Ba da ba ba ba woah_

He hadn't realized he'd fallen asleep until he opened his eyes to feel a small amount of pressure on the crown of his head and the hospital eerily quiet. The lights were all still on and Spider raised his head to look at his watch. It was a little after 4am. As he lifted his head he felt the pressure slid off his head and fall to the bed with a small thump. Glancing at it he saw it was Bomber's hand. And he frowned. Then he realized what had happened and he smiled. She'd moved her hand. She must've woken up.

"Bomber?" He whispered softly. Nothing happened. He tried again. "Rebecca?" Still nothing. Spider frowned. "Rebecca, please. If you wake up I'll promise to stop bagging out your meals." But there was no response and Spider looked down at his feet sadly.

Then a croaky voice spoke. "Sure Spi, and I'll stop adding so much salt to yours." Spider looked up to see Bomber glancing at him with a slight smile on her face. Her eyes were heavy, only small slits, but she was awake. And she was insulting him. Spider almost laughed. "Let's not make promises we can't keep." She continued.

Spider just shook his head. "No, no." But he couldn't help but smile. She was going to fine. "How are you feeling? Do you want a doctor?" His grin fell as he realized she was still not out of the rough yet. He actually stood to get a doctor but she grabbed his wrist to stop him.

"No, no, I'm fine. I just need some rest." She laughed softly, weakly. "Actually, I wouldn't be so bad if someone hadn't been twittering on all night."

Spider realized she'd heard him and smiled again. "Sorry about that, the doctor suggested talking to you."

"It's fine." Bomber just closed her eyes slowly. "It worked didn't it?"

"Yeah." He nodded slowly. "You woke up just in time to insult me."

Bomber laughed again. "Always Spider." She opened her eyes slowly again. "I'll be always be here to insult you." She closed her eyes again and Spider sensed she'd drifted back to sleep.

He just held her hand in his own and smiled to himself. "Good." He muttered to her before laying his head back down on the bed and going back to sleep.

* * *

**A/N:** The song is _Don't You Just Love Theatre_ by The Mission In Motion. Hear it at their myspace webpage (/themissioninmotion)


End file.
